Tension
by VerifiablyInsane
Summary: Ghost Adventures Slash.  Former Zak/Nick.  Post breakup, Aaron analyzes the tension in the air.


Aaron knew his position. It was something that was never going to change, but he had resigned himself to it. He was the goofball. The one that was left to the sidelines and gave all the glory to Zak. He was happy with that. After all, Zak deserved it. He was the idiot that was provoking these entities. He brought them all together. He created this Ghost Adventures Crew.

So here he was. Standing in the middle of a friggin cornfield. Waiting. Why? Because Zak told him to stand here. He could hear movement around him and he hoped and prayed that it was either Nick or Zak or maybe even the wind. Actually, he really hoped it was the wind. The wind was less likely to play a prank or jump out at him. Though Zak wouldn't do that… Nick totally would. He was an asshole like that. Aaron sighed and scratched his bald head.

"Hey," came the voice behind him.

Aaron jumped about ten feet in the air, swirling around, facing the camera at the location of the voice. Zak's smiling face showed up in frame. "Dude! You fuckin' scared me bro."

Zak laughed. "No shit. Getting anything?"

Aaron shrugged. "Its corn, bro. In the open field. I have wind. And now you saying 'hey.'"

Zak nodded. "Let's get out of here. This was pointless."

Aaron nodded and followed him out of the corn maze. "Where's Nick?" he asked as they approached the van.

Zak shrugged, grabbing a water bottle from their cooler. "I dunno. Couldn't find him in the maze. Guess we'll just wait for him here. He'll figure it out."

Aaron loaded his camera in the back of the van, taking Zak's equipment and putting it away as well. Together they sat on the back bumper. "How the fuck long does it take him to figure out we're not in the maze anymore?" Zak wondered outloud.

"Walkie?"

"Tried it. He didn't answer."

Aaron nodded. He was used to spending alone time with Zak. Though Billy had begun coming on their investigations and that was all right, but he kind of missed this time together. Billy had begun to invade their time as a small cohesive group some time ago, around the time that Nick started to pull away. Aaron questioned some things about their relationship, but he kept that to himself. He wasn't one to ask or comment on other people's sexuality, let alone their relationships. Though, that didn't really keep him from wondering.

"I always forget how pretty the stars are out in the middle of nowhere," Zak commented, looking up.

"Nights like this make me miss Oregon."

"How's Stephanie?" Zak asked, still looking at the stars.

"Haven't talked to her in awhile." Aaron hated this subject. After the divorce, things were tense but they were still able to be friends, then it seemed that she slipped through his fingers.

"Talking to anyone else?" Aaron shook his head. "You should fly up one weekend, try to meet up with her again." Silently, Aaron wondered where this was coming from. It was rare moments that Zak would ask about his ex-wife. Even rarer moments when he would tell him to go visit her.

"What about you? Anyone new?" Aaron dared to ask.

Zak shook his head, chugging his water. "Where the fuck is Nick?" he asked, quickly changing the subject.

Nick emerged from the cornfield, camera on his shoulder. "I think I just got my ass kicked by corn!" he shouted back at the men sitting on the van.

Zak tossed his water bottle in the back of the van, shutting the doors. "About fucking time, Nick. What the hell were you doing in there?"

"I was investigating, Zak. What the fuck were you doing out here?" Nick shot back, opening the side door to put his equipment in his bag.

"Waiting on your ass. This corn field was a waste of time. Let's get out of here." Zak climbed in the passenger seat and slammed the door.

Nick turned to Aaron and smiled, sliding his bag back to the third seat. "This is going to be a great two hour ride back."

Both men got into the van. Aaron leaned back and got comfortable, praying for sleep. Nick started the van, pulling away from the cornfield. "Can't wait to see if we got anything," he commented.

Zak snorted. Aaron tried to melt into the van seat. It seemed that Zak's snarkiness with Nick was getting worse. He wasn't quite sure he understood it, but he thought that maybe, just maybe, it had something to do with Nick's baby. But there was no way he was going to bring that up to Zak, or Nick even. Nope, he was going to stay out of it. So he watched, from the back seat.

"Hey, just because you gave up doesn't mean we didn't get anything."

"Nick, it was a fucking cornfield! Who haunts a cornfield?" Zak practically shouted.

"Farmers!" Nick retorted, nearly laughing.

Zak deflated into the door. "Great, so we got Farmer Brown on our recorders."

"Evidence is still evidence," Nick said, locking the doors.

Zak jumped as the lock moved on his back. "What the fuck was that for?"

"So you don't fall out the van on the highway since you're leaning on the door so hard."

Zak grumbled. "What the fuck ever."

Nick shot him a look. "I'm sorry if I still care, ok?"

Zak side eyed Aaron in the backseat. "Whatever, just get us back to the hotel. I'm exhausted."

Aaron closed his eyes as silence took over the van. He didn't really know what was going on, but he liked the silence, no matter how thick with tension it was.


End file.
